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Be sure to read the ending ... about how a similar campaign may have
averted nuclear war in the 1950s ...
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Over the last six years, approximately 25,000 people have died from acts
of terrorism, worldwide.
Over that same period, 52 million people have died from preventable
hunger; about 24,000 people per day.
Patterns of Global Terrorism,
Bureau of Public Affairs,
U.S. Department of State, 2000
The following article is courtesy of a United Church Faith in Action
committee newsletter:
The following action has its roots in the Christian scripture upon which
Bush says his crusade is based. Please, do what you can. We may never
know what impact our efforts have. We may not be "successful". All we
are called to be is faithful. "We can do no great things. We can only
do small things with great love." (Mother Theresa)
1. Place 1/2 c. uncooked rice in a small plastic bag (a snack-sized
bag or sandwich bag works fine). Squeeze out excess air and seal the
bag. 2. Wrap it in a piece of paper on which you have written: "If
your enemies are hungry, feed them. (Romans 12:20) Please send this
rice to the people of Iraq; do not attack them." 3. Place the paper
and bag of rice in an envelope (either a letter-sized or small padded
mailing envelope - both are the same cost to mail) and address it to:
President George Bush
White House - 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
4. Make a second package and mail it to (you don't need to affix
postage if mailing within Canada):
Prime Minister Jean Chretien
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A2
Drop this in the mail TODAY. It is important to act NOW so
that President Bush and Prime Minister Chretien get our letters as soon
as possible! In order for this protest to be effective, there must be
hundreds of thousands of such rice deliveries to the White House and
Parliament Hill. We can do this if we all forward this message to our
friends and family. If we get the message out, there will be packets
from hundreds of thousands of people! 5.
There is a positive history of this protest! Read on!
In the mid 1950s, the pacifist Fellowship of Reconciliation, learning of
famine in the Chinese mainland, launched a "Feed Thine Enemy" campaign.
Members and friends mailed thousands of little bags of rice to the White
House with a tag quoting the Bible, "If thine enemy hunger, feed him." As
far as anyone knew for more than ten years, the campaign was an abject
failure. The President did not acknowledge receipt of the bags publicly;
certainly no rice was ever sent to China.
"What non-violent activists only learned a decade later was that the
campaign played a significant, perhaps even determining role in preventing
nuclear war. Twice while the campaign was on, President Eisenhower met
with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to consider US options in the conflict with
China over two islands, Quemoy and Matsu. The generals twice recommended
the use of nuclear weapons. President Eisenhower each time turned to his
aide and asked how many little bags of rice had come in. When told they
numbered in the tens of thousands, Eisenhower told the generals that as
long as so many Americans were expressing active interest in having the US
feed the Chinese, he certainly wasn't going to consider using nuclear
weapons against them."
People Power: Applying Non-violence Theory by David H. Albert, p. 43, New
Society, 19.
If you want to pass this on, paste this text onto a new message rather
than just forwarding it. It makes for easier reading.
Thank you all for being people of hope.
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SUST-MAR TIP: our archives are http://www.chebucto.ca/lists/sust-mar
CBC enviro news-briefs follow:
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FREEZE TUITION FEES, STUDENTS TELL POLITICIANS
Hundreds of students across the province carried bright yellow signs and
beat make-shift drums as they marched down the streets Wednesday afternoon.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_tuitionprotest20030205
NOVA SCOTIA 3RD IN ATV ACCIDENTS
The number of young people injured while using all terrain vehicles (ATVs) has gone up dramatically in the past five years, according to a new report. In Nova Scotia, the accident rate rose by 63 per cent.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_atv20030205
POWELL'S EVIDENCE FAILS TO SWAY MOST OF SECURITY COUNCIL
The evidence Colin Powell presented Wednesday, intended to convince
members of the UN Security Council that a war in Iraq is necessary,
instead convinced most members to improve the UN weapons inspections.
FULL STORY:
http://cbc.ca/stories/2003/02/06/powell_rxn030206__
© Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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